Building Your Tribe

© 2021 Toni Shiloh

When we get the call to write, the thrill of putting words to paper can seem all consuming. Then when publication becomes a reality, writers discover there is more than just the story. Building Your Tribe is my take on how to navigate social media and build a community that will help you sell books without sounding like a salesman.
 
So why do I call it a tribe?
 
First off, a tribe is usually a group of people with mutual commonality. This is so necessary in the world of social media because you’re hoping to turn these people into fans of your book who will naturally influence for you because they love your writing that much.
 
It requires a fellowship that allows bonding over books, fangirling over favorite authors, and finding any other shared interests you may hold outside of reading/writing.
 
In order to build your tribe, remember to:

  • Post consistently
    • This doesn’t mean every day, but it does mean if you’re going to post once a week on your social media platform (choose one or more, the world’s your oyster) to post once a week.
  • Share a little of yourself
    • You don’t have to expose your secrets but give your followers a hint of who you are. Are you a coffee fanatic? Chocolate connoisseur? Historical fiction only reader? Share these things to start finding people who hold similar interests.
  • Ask a question
    • Ever hear the rule about open-ended questions? It’s to make sure people will engage with you instead of walking away without making a comment. The same truth applies to social media. Engagement notifies algorithms to share your posts to a wider audience.
  • Use hashtags
    • There’s a reason they’re so popular. They allow people to search for topics of interest. Are you a #christiancontemporaryromance author? Then add that to your post related to that subject. You’ll gather your tribe a lot quicker when you give them ways to find you.
  • Use visuals
    • People prefer visuals, so popping in an eye-catching graphic or video will stop the scrolling and get a visitor reading. Even a well-placed GIF can bring in social media traffic that will turn a person into a follower who incorporates into your tribe.

 
I hope these tips help when you delve into the fun world of social media.
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Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novel, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist, Risking Love, a 2020 Selah Award finalist, and The Truth About Fame, a 2021 Holt Medallion finalist. Learn more at her website.